U.S. UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ROBERT D. HORMATSHAS PLEDGED MORE AID PROGRAMS TO TUNISIA , THE TUNISIAN OFFICIAL TAP PRESS AGENCY REPORTED ON SATURDAY, QUOTING A FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMUNIQUE.
ACCORDING TO THE COMMUNIQUE THE PROGRAMS AIM AT BOOSTING THE EXPORTING CAPACITIES OF TUNISIAN SMALL AND MEDIUM COMPANIES AS WELL AS BILATERAL AND MULTI-LATERAL FINANCIAL COOPERATION.
THE PROGRAMS ALSO AIM AT IDENTIFYING IMPEDIMENTS TO ECONOMIC GROWTH AND TO GRANT TUNISIA DONATIONS EXCEEDING 9 MILLION US DOLLARS, TAP SAID.
DURING HIS MEETING ON FRIDAY WITH TUNISIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER RAFIK ABDESSLEM IN WASHINGTON, THE U.S. OFFICIAL SAID HIS COUNTRY WOULD REACT POSITIVELY TO ANY NEW TUNISIAN PROPOSITION TO REINFORCE BILATERAL COOPERATION.
EARLIER ON FRIDAY THE TUNISIA FOREIGN MINISTER MET WITH THE U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON WHO THANKED THE TUNISIAN GOVERNMENT FOR HELPING SECURE THE AMERICAN EMBASSY AMID RECENT PROTESTS, ADDING THAT WASHINGTON IS "MONITORING EVENTS CLOSELY".
STRESSING AMERICA'S PRIORITY TO PROTECT ITS DIPLOMATS, SHE URGED ALL GOVERNMENTS TO STICK TO THEIR DUTY TO DEFEND FOREIGN DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS.
"THEY MUST BE SAFE AND PROTECTED PLACES SO THAT GOVERNMENTS CAN EXCHANGE VIEWS AND WORK ON MANY IMPORTANT ISSUES, AND LEADERS ACROSS THE WORLD MUST STAND UP AND BE COUNTED IN REJECTING VIOLENCE AND HOLDING VIOLENT ACTORS ACCOUNTABLE," SHE SAID.
FOR HIS PART, ABDESSLEM EXPRESSED "REGRET AND FULL AND STRONG CONDEMNATION" FOR THE STORMING OF THE AMERICAN EMBASSY AND SCHOOL IN TUNISIA LAST FRIDAY. - by pna.gov.ph
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